MAC #226 Small Tapered Blending Brush Review

After reading a ton of raves about MAC’s limited edition #226 Small Tapered Blending Brush ($24.50) from the Brunette, Blonde and Redhead collection that debuted earlier this month, I decided to go back to see what the hype is all about.

According to MAC’s website, the #226 is a short, tapered blending brush with ultrasoft, natural bristles that is used for application and blending of shadow on the lid, and perfect for working the crease.

It is very similar to MAC’s #217 Tapered Blending Brush, #222 Tapered Blending Brush and #224 Tapered Blending Brush that I own. Out of the four, it has the shortest bristles and it fits perfectly onto my crease. I normally use MAC’s #219 Pencil Brush to apply the color onto the crease and fluff it out with the #217, but with the #226, I can do both with one brush. I also like to use this to blend eyeshadow along the lash line.

The bristles on the #226 are black just like the #224 but they are more compact, pointier and work even better in blending the color. Plus like MAC’s regular brushes, it comes in the right length with the perfect handle and is so easy to control.

If you don’t have a lot of eyelid space or a crease or you are simply looking for a brush to blend eyeshadow, I highly recommend this.

Phyllis Li is the Founder and Editor-in-chief of Makeup For Life, one of the top 50 beauty blogs that focuses on celebrity makeup breakdowns, product reviews, makeup tutorials and all things beauty.
Having lived and traveled in North America, Europe and Asia, she was exposed to different techniques and products at an early age and hopes to put a global perspective towards beauty. Phyllis won the Best Content Award by Total Beauty in 2008 and has been featured in various publications and websites including ELLE, Glamour.com, Yahoo Shine!, AOL Stylelist, Nylon Korea, VOGUE China, Ming Pao Daily (Canada) and Shanghai Weekly. In 2010, she was appointed one of the nine Real Women Ambassadors in the United States to take part in the Latisse® Wishes Challenge, working with Hollywood celebrity Kathy Ireland and raised over $400,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant wishes for approximately 54 children. In 2012, she teamed up with luxury skincare brand TATCHA and released a limited-edition 3-Piece Set of her favorite beauty products.
Phyllis currently lives in Chicago, US. She is a regular contributor to Shanghai Daily's StyleHai Magazine and a member of the Glam Beauty Network.

3 COMMENTS

Phyllis, I’m wondering, have you tried any products from the Coastal Scents website? A lot of people say that their brushes are very comparable to MAC’s, but at a fraction of the price. I haven’t tried any yet, but I just bought the 88 colour palettes in original & shimmer, both for under $25 each! I absolutely love them, and a lot of the colours are even more pigmented than my shadows from MAC and MUFE!

I would love to see you do a review and let us know what you think of them!

Thanks for the review. I’ve been hearing some great things, too! The 224 sometimes spreads color out higher above the crease (and sometimes lower onto the lid) than I want it to. And sometimes I want something a little fluffier than the 217. I can’t wait to try it!